Avoid Pressure to Compromise

What I really appreciated about your talk is, um, I found that you have a very strong conviction to do— to be like a very social entrepreneur and to make a lasting impact. And, um, some might say that like within the Silicon Valley entrepreneurship scene, a lot of startup founders start off that way, like really wanting to make an impact, but sometimes they still end up doing questionable business practics. So, uh, to summarize, my question would be, how do you go about, um, growing up in this very profit-oriented, um, space and still kind of staying with what you really want to do in the world?

I don't think there has to be a trade-off in most cases between having an incredible incredible impact and also having a— I'll say sustainable, that's the nonprofit word for it— but profitable, right? Being in the black. Um, I don't think that there's a trade-off between those two things. I do think the people that you— I think those pressures come from either a shift in priorities, because at the end of the day you do have to prioritize what, when push comes to shove, would be more important in each scenario. Getting that extra dollar, or maybe, right, impacting that extra person, if it comes to that, in certain moments in time. You do really know where you stand, or else it'll be a slippery slope. And I think the structure of the organization, in some ways, you know, it's just a vehicle to move forward. It's a tax structure, not a religion. Like, you can do great things as a business, obviously, and you can have a nonprofit that's not that efficient and could be doing a lot more, and sometimes even damages the world. Those are extremes. But, um, I think your investors and your supporters, whether they're investors outright or donors or whatever it is, when you bring them on your team, just don't make compromises because they will be the voices that eventually might pressure you to get off track in terms of like your commitment and your values.